U.S. patent application number 13/309948 was filed with the patent office on 2013-03-14 for system for fixing carbon dioxide.
This patent application is currently assigned to HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY. The applicant listed for this patent is Min Ho Cho, Sung Yeup Chung, Tae Young Kim, Ki Chun Lee, Dong Cheol Park, Seok Gyu Sonh. Invention is credited to Min Ho Cho, Sung Yeup Chung, Tae Young Kim, Ki Chun Lee, Dong Cheol Park, Seok Gyu Sonh.
Application Number | 20130064741 13/309948 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47830005 |
Filed Date | 2013-03-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130064741 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim; Tae Young ; et
al. |
March 14, 2013 |
SYSTEM FOR FIXING CARBON DIOXIDE
Abstract
The present invention relates to a system fixing carbon dioxide.
The system comprises a first reactor for extracting alkali metal
components from a slag and a second reactor for carbonating the
extracted alkali metal component with carbon dioxide. With this
system, carbon dioxide can be fixed in a simpler and cost-effective
manner.
Inventors: |
Kim; Tae Young; (Suwon,
KR) ; Chung; Sung Yeup; (Seoul, KR) ; Lee; Ki
Chun; (Seoul, KR) ; Cho; Min Ho; (Seongnam,
KR) ; Sonh; Seok Gyu; (Suwon, KR) ; Park; Dong
Cheol; (Incheon, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Kim; Tae Young
Chung; Sung Yeup
Lee; Ki Chun
Cho; Min Ho
Sonh; Seok Gyu
Park; Dong Cheol |
Suwon
Seoul
Seoul
Seongnam
Suwon
Incheon |
|
KR
KR
KR
KR
KR
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
Seoul
KR
HYUNDAI STEEL COMPANY
Incheon
KR
KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
47830005 |
Appl. No.: |
13/309948 |
Filed: |
December 2, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
422/617 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C01B 32/60 20170801 |
Class at
Publication: |
422/617 |
International
Class: |
B01J 19/00 20060101
B01J019/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 14, 2011 |
KR |
10-2011-0092496 |
Claims
1. A system for fixing carbon dioxide, the system comprising: a
first reactor into which a slag is to be introduced, in which an
alkali metal component is to be extracted from the slag, and from
which a solution containing the extracted alkali metal component is
to be discharged; and a second reactor into which carbon dioxide
and the solution containing the extracted alkali metal component
are to be introduced and in which the alkali metal component
contained in the introduced solution is to be converted to a
carbonate precipitate by a carbonation reaction between the
introduced carbon dioxide and the introduced solution, wherein a
submerged membrane unit is provided within the second reactor to
separate the carbonate precipitate.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a recirculation
pipeline between the first reactor and the second reactor to
recirculate the solution contained in the second reactor into the
first reactor.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein a vacuum pump is mounted on the
recirculation pipeline.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the submerged membrane unit
comprises: a plurality of hollow fiber membranes; and a pair of
hollow cases provided at upper and lower ends of the hollow fiber
membranes.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the hollow cases are connected to
the first reactor by a recirculation pipeline through which the
solution contained in the second reactor can be recirculated to the
first reactor.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein an air diffuser is provided in
the second reactor below the submerged membrane unit for delivering
gaseous carbon dioxide to the inside of the second reactor.
7. The system of claim 5, wherein a vacuum pump is mounted on the
recirculation pipeline.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(a) the
benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0092496 filed Sep.
14, 2011, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] (a) Technical Field
[0003] The present invention relates to a system for fixing carbon
dioxide contained in an exhaust gas. More particularly, it relates
to a system for fixing carbon dioxide by extracting an alkali metal
component from a raw slag and reacting the extracted alkali metal
component with carbon dioxide to produce a carbonate precipitate
which is separated by a submerged membrane unit.
[0004] (b) Background Art
[0005] Exhaust gases including carbon dioxide in many fields of
industry are required to be treated for environmental
consideration. A typical process of treating an exhaust gas
includes a separation/recovery process and a fixation
(immobilization) process.
[0006] The fixation process aims to convert carbon dioxide to a
carbon-containing compound (e.g., carbonate) and convert the
carbon-containing compound to a compound that is applicable to
other industrial processes, thereby being able to remove carbon
dioxide, which is known to cause global warming, in an
environmental-friendly way and utilize carbon dioxide as a useful
material.
[0007] To date, a single reactor in which alkali metal component
extraction from a raw slag is performed concurrently with
carbonation reaction has been used. However, in this conventional
method, because the alkali metal component extraction and the
carbonation reaction are performed concurrently, an extracted
alkali metal component is carbonated, the carbonated component is
formed as a precipitate, and the carbonate precipitate is then
accumulated on the surface of the slag, which causes the alkali
metal component extraction to be hindered, the carbonation reaction
to take longer time, and the carbonation rate to be decreased.
[0008] Further, in the conventional method, because the slag,
carbonate precipitate, and residual process water/solution
co-exist, it is difficult to reuse process water/solution and a
chemical solvent (e.g., acetic acid) used for extraction.
[0009] Therefore, as a conventional method, there has been used a
method wherein alkali metal component extraction, carbonate
conversion by carbon dioxide injection, and filtration for
solid/liquid separation are performed in separate batches in the
sequential order as shown in FIG. 3.
[0010] The above information disclosed in this Background section
is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the
invention and therefore it may contain information that does not
form the prior art that is already known in this country to a
person of ordinary skill in the art.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0011] Embodiments of the present invention provide a system for
fixing carbon dioxide. The system comprises a first reactor and a
second reactor connected to the first reactor. A raw slag is
introduced into the first reactor. In the first reactor, an alkali
metal component is extracted from the raw slag. A solution
containing the extracted alkali metal component is then discharged
from the first reactor. The solution containing the extracted
alkali metal component from the first reactor and carbon dioxide
are introduced into the second reactor. In the second reactor, the
alkali metal component contained in the introduced solution is
converted to a carbonate precipitate by a carbonation reaction
between the introduced carbon dioxide and the introduced solution.
A submerged membrane unit is provided within the second reactor to
separate the carbonate precipitate.
[0012] Preferably, the submerged membrane unit may comprise a
plurality of hollow fiber membranes and a pair of hollow cases. The
hollow cases are provided at upper and lower ends of the hollow
fiber membranes and connected to the first reactor by a
recirculation pipeline through which the solution can be
recirculated into the first reactor after the carbonate precipitate
is separated.
[0013] Preferably, an air diffuser is provided in the second
reactor below the submerged membrane unit for delivering gaseous
carbon dioxide to the inside of the second reactor.
[0014] Preferably, a vacuum pump is mounted on the recirculation
pipeline.
[0015] With the system, among others, carbon dioxide can be fixed
more efficiently and the solution filtrated from the submerged
membrane unit can be reused in the alkali metal extraction
reactor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The above and other features of the present invention will
now be described in detail with reference to certain exemplary
embodiments thereof illustrated the accompanying drawings which are
given hereinbelow by way of illustration only, and thus are not
limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
[0017] FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams representing systems for fixing
carbon dioxide according to embodiments of the present invention;
and
[0018] FIG. 3 is a flow chart representing a conventional method
for fixing carbon dioxide.
[0019] Reference numerals set forth in the Drawings includes
reference to the following elements as further discussed below:
[0020] 10: alkali metal component extraction reactor [0021] 12:
supply pipeline [0022] 14: recirculation pipeline [0023] 20:
carbonation reactor [0024] 30: submerged membrane unit [0025] 32:
hollow fiber membrane [0026] 34: hollow case [0027] 36: air
diffuser [0028] 38: vacuum pump
[0029] It should be understood that the appended drawings are not
necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified
representation of various preferred features illustrative of the
basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of
the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example,
specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be
determined in part by the particular intended application and use
environment.
[0030] In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or
equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several
figures of the drawing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031] Hereinafter reference will now be made in detail to various
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While
the invention will be described in conjunction with exemplary
embodiments, it will be understood that present description is not
intended to limit the invention to those exemplary embodiments. On
the contrary, the invention is intended to cover not only the
exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives,
modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be
included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by
the appended claims.
[0032] As shown in FIG. 1, a system for fixing carbon dioxide
according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises an
alkali metal component extraction reactor (10), a carbonation
reactor (20) connected to the alkali metal component extraction
reactor (10), and a submerged membrane unit (30) provided within
the carbonation reactor (20). A raw slag is introduced into the
alkali metal component extraction reactor (10). In the alkali metal
component extraction reactor (10), an alkali metal component is
extracted from the raw slag. A solution containing the extracted
alkali metal component is then discharged from the alkali metal
component extraction reactor (10).
[0033] The discharged post-extraction solution and carbon dioxide
are introduced into the carbonation reactor (20). In the
carbonation reactor (20), the alkali metal component contained in
the introduced solution is converted to a carbonate precipitate by
a carbonation reaction between the introduced carbon dioxide and
the introduced solution.
[0034] The submerged membrane unit (30) provided within the second
reactor functions to separate the carbonate precipitate.
Preferably, the submerged membrane unit may comprise a plurality of
hollow fiber membranes (32) and a pair of hollow cases (34). The
hollow fiber membranes may, suitably, be made of a polymer material
such as polyethylene, cellulose acetate and the like. The hollow
cases (34) are provided at upper and lower ends of the hollow fiber
membranes (32). For example, the upper ends of the hollow fiber
membranes (32) are inserted into one of the hollow cases (34) and
the lower ends of the hollow fiber membranes (32) are inserted into
the other hollow case (34) such that the hollow cases (34) are in
fluid communication with each other through the hollow fiber
membranes (32). In this case, an outlet of the alkali metal
component extraction reactor (10) is connected with the carbonation
reactor (20) through a supply pipeline (12) and an inlet of the
alkali metal component extraction reactor (10) is connected with an
outlet of the hollow cases (34) through a recirculation pipeline
(14). In some embodiments, at least one vacuum pump (36) may be
mounted at the recirculation pipeline (14).
[0035] Preferably, the system may further comprise an air diffuser
(36) below the submerged membrane unit (30) within the carbonation
reactor for generating carbon dioxide bubbles. The air diffuser
(36) receives carbon dioxide supplied from a carbon dioxide
supplier (not shown) that is connected to the carbonation reactor
for supplying carbon dioxide. The amount of supplied carbon dioxide
is controlled according to the amount of the alkali metal component
of the solution introduced into the carbonation reactor (20).
[0036] Herein, operating of the system for fixing carbon dioxide
according to the embodiment of the present invention will be
described.
[0037] An alkali metal component (e.g., Ca, Mg, etc.) is extracted
at the alkali metal component extraction reactor (10). In more
detail, a raw slag (e.g., a slag from a blast furnace iron making
process, a slag from an electric furnace steel making process,
etc.) is supplied to the alkali metal component extraction reactor
(10). An aqueous solution containing acetic acid is supplied as an
extraction solvent with a ratio of the raw slag and the aqueous
solution containing acetic acid is about 2 to about 20 (i.e.,
slag:solution=approx. 2.about.20:1). The resulting solution is
stirred until at least 90% of the alkali metal component contained
in the raw slag is extracted.
[0038] The post-extraction solution exited from the alkali metal
component extraction reactor (10) is supplied to the carbonation
reactor (20) through the supply pipeline (12). Carbon dioxide
supplied from the carbon dioxide supplier is introduced to the
carbonation reactor (20) via the air diffuser (36). The amount of
supplied carbon dioxide is controlled according to the amount of
the alkali metal component of the solution introduced into the
carbonation reactor (20).
[0039] In the carbonation reactor (20), a carbonation reaction is
performed and a carbonate precipitate is produced. Namely, gaseous
carbon dioxide is reacted with an alkali metal ion in the
carbonation reactor (20) to produce a carbonate precipitate. The
carbonate precipitate is separated from the solution contained in
the carbonation reactor (20) by the submerged membrane unit (30).
In more detail, the carbonate precipitate exists in the carbonation
reactor without being transferred through the hollow fiber
membranes (20) while the residual solution (the extracted alkali
metal component solution after the carbonation reaction) is
transferred through the hollow fiber membrane (32) by capillary
action. The solution is then transferred through the hollow case
(34), and the recirculation pipeline (14) and recirculated to the
alkali metal component extraction reactor (10), by operation of the
vacuum pump (36), to be reused in the alkali metal component
extraction.
[0040] On the other hand, the carbon dioxide bubbles supplied by
the air diffuser (36) are formed to have a small diameter (e.g.,
0.5 mm or less) prevent suspended solids from forming a cake layer
on the surface of the hollow fiber membranes (32), thereby
improving filtration efficiency of the alkali metal component
solution.
[0041] According to the present invention, since the extraction,
carbonation, and filtration are performed continuously, carbon
dioxide can be fixed in a cost-effective and simpler manner.
Further, a solution filtered from the submerged membrane unit can
be reused in the alkali metal extraction process.
* * * * *